I won't claim that Satan is behind all the misunderstandings of eschatology, but he influences many views and propagates lies. That is just my disclaimer as I introduce the actual topic.
Satan has greatly lied about who and what he is. As the basic identity of him, I note that he is basically like one of the beasts of the field (Gen 3:1). That is to note that he is a creature of the creation descriptions of Genesis 1 and 2. However, he is different too, not quite the cold-blooded serpent limited in lifespan that might be derived solely from Gen 3:1. Instead, he has had access to God and has been reasonably seen as a prosecutor who has been here to lead people into evil and to accuse them. His essence then is not purely physical but exists in a fashion that is unseen. However, he is not a fallen angel, as will be addressed.
His basic purpose is as a bottom feeder. He cleans up the debris which is anything susceptible or inclined to evil. Consequently, he attracted the woman in the garden to eat the forbidden fruit if she would comply. He tempted Jesus to disobey God if possible. In such efforts, he functionally is there to attract and expose evil, as a way to clean the earth of it. That is the same thing we see in Rev 20:7-9, where the nations are deceived and try to come against the Christians. He then likely was influencing the four empires of Daniel for following evil and being arrogant. I think also that the arrogance of the king of Assyria in Isaiah 10 basically describes the arrogance of Satan -- but more just due to similarity rather than Isaiah 10 being about Satan.
One lie to add to his influence is the claim to be Lucifer. This is super obvious since it is not a name in the Hebrew but rather is Latin wording in Isaiah 14. This further indicates that anyone following Lucifer is following a lie. Part of the lie is there is no Lucifer. The other is that anything they believe as Lucifer or of him is a lie since it really is the limited creature we know as Satan.
The additional lies derived from the misapplication of Isaiah 14 is that Satan had an angelic role around God. Isaiah 14 fully explains the king of Babylon in his pride and self-estimation. There is no reason to extend this to another creature. Albeit, there can be a similarity of the serpent in Gen 3:14 as being restricted to life on its belly with Isa 14:14-15 of the king seeing himself like the Most High but cast down to the pit.
We do have scriptural evidence of Satan influencing the governments. We see this deception of the nations from the Rev 20:7-9 text and indicating the type of deception in Rev 20:3. The deception is also mentioned in Rev 12:9. That deception is in the accusations against Christians as found in Rev 12:10.
I think the fall of Satan is basically uncoordinated in the views held my most people. Some see Rom 12:9 as the fall from heaven but Isa 14 would have been earlier if it applied. It would also be out of sync with Genesis 3:1, which, if Satan were an angel, would have seemed to be the fall as well, but long before Revelation events. Then Rom 16:20 showed a short period for Satan being crushed. Especially in Luk 10:18, Jesus mentions seeing Satan fall like lightning from heaven in response to the seventy who went to share news of Jesus and the kingdom. That appears to be Jesus expressing that this subjection of demons and the loss of Satan's power was to happen in this fashion even though that had not happened until later in the century.
In Rom 12:9, there is no mention of Satan as angel but only as the dragon. It may be a presence in the heavens without being an angel or this may be reflecting his influence on the earth without angelic status. It is interesting in Daniel that neither Gabriel nor Michael appear to confront Satan. It seems the main sense is not an actual presence in heaven but rather it is sort of the reach of influence of Satan over the nations in view within the scriptures. His angels then are those nations and people deceived against the Christians. Whatever the exact details are, much of what is in view is the power of Satan over the nations and, as in Rev 12, the conflict with the Christians.
We can add that Satan as the accuser brought fear of death to the people, as shared in Hebrews 2:14–15 (NKJV)
14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
There may be more ways that Satan has influenced the world and nations, but scripture has been focused on Christ, not Satan. People may even find more passages to consider, but this should be a good overview of what Satan was doing and what he can do in Rev 20:7-9. I hope this will help people have a better sense of balance than finding Satan as some sort of equal opposition to God.
Satan has greatly lied about who and what he is. As the basic identity of him, I note that he is basically like one of the beasts of the field (Gen 3:1). That is to note that he is a creature of the creation descriptions of Genesis 1 and 2. However, he is different too, not quite the cold-blooded serpent limited in lifespan that might be derived solely from Gen 3:1. Instead, he has had access to God and has been reasonably seen as a prosecutor who has been here to lead people into evil and to accuse them. His essence then is not purely physical but exists in a fashion that is unseen. However, he is not a fallen angel, as will be addressed.
His basic purpose is as a bottom feeder. He cleans up the debris which is anything susceptible or inclined to evil. Consequently, he attracted the woman in the garden to eat the forbidden fruit if she would comply. He tempted Jesus to disobey God if possible. In such efforts, he functionally is there to attract and expose evil, as a way to clean the earth of it. That is the same thing we see in Rev 20:7-9, where the nations are deceived and try to come against the Christians. He then likely was influencing the four empires of Daniel for following evil and being arrogant. I think also that the arrogance of the king of Assyria in Isaiah 10 basically describes the arrogance of Satan -- but more just due to similarity rather than Isaiah 10 being about Satan.
One lie to add to his influence is the claim to be Lucifer. This is super obvious since it is not a name in the Hebrew but rather is Latin wording in Isaiah 14. This further indicates that anyone following Lucifer is following a lie. Part of the lie is there is no Lucifer. The other is that anything they believe as Lucifer or of him is a lie since it really is the limited creature we know as Satan.
The additional lies derived from the misapplication of Isaiah 14 is that Satan had an angelic role around God. Isaiah 14 fully explains the king of Babylon in his pride and self-estimation. There is no reason to extend this to another creature. Albeit, there can be a similarity of the serpent in Gen 3:14 as being restricted to life on its belly with Isa 14:14-15 of the king seeing himself like the Most High but cast down to the pit.
We do have scriptural evidence of Satan influencing the governments. We see this deception of the nations from the Rev 20:7-9 text and indicating the type of deception in Rev 20:3. The deception is also mentioned in Rev 12:9. That deception is in the accusations against Christians as found in Rev 12:10.
I think the fall of Satan is basically uncoordinated in the views held my most people. Some see Rom 12:9 as the fall from heaven but Isa 14 would have been earlier if it applied. It would also be out of sync with Genesis 3:1, which, if Satan were an angel, would have seemed to be the fall as well, but long before Revelation events. Then Rom 16:20 showed a short period for Satan being crushed. Especially in Luk 10:18, Jesus mentions seeing Satan fall like lightning from heaven in response to the seventy who went to share news of Jesus and the kingdom. That appears to be Jesus expressing that this subjection of demons and the loss of Satan's power was to happen in this fashion even though that had not happened until later in the century.
In Rom 12:9, there is no mention of Satan as angel but only as the dragon. It may be a presence in the heavens without being an angel or this may be reflecting his influence on the earth without angelic status. It is interesting in Daniel that neither Gabriel nor Michael appear to confront Satan. It seems the main sense is not an actual presence in heaven but rather it is sort of the reach of influence of Satan over the nations in view within the scriptures. His angels then are those nations and people deceived against the Christians. Whatever the exact details are, much of what is in view is the power of Satan over the nations and, as in Rev 12, the conflict with the Christians.
We can add that Satan as the accuser brought fear of death to the people, as shared in Hebrews 2:14–15 (NKJV)
14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
There may be more ways that Satan has influenced the world and nations, but scripture has been focused on Christ, not Satan. People may even find more passages to consider, but this should be a good overview of what Satan was doing and what he can do in Rev 20:7-9. I hope this will help people have a better sense of balance than finding Satan as some sort of equal opposition to God.
Last edited:
